Looking to build one for the wife, 6 ft long, 2 ft wide and 1.5-2 ft tall. debating galvanized or wood diy.
Anyone use a galvanized like in the pictures? Thoughts on it, would you do it over or go wood? how long are they lasting for you?
option 2, some 2×6 or 2x8s with 2×4 supports screwed together.
thanks!
by Slammed01
4 Comments
I have the metal kind in your first photo. Love them.
I’ve never had the wood version.
Either version you’ll need to do two things.
Level the ground. A small lean will become a huge problem in a few years.
Add chicken wire in the bottom to prevent voles and moles stealing your entire summer’s harvest overnight.
We have metal beds, ovals not square but pretty similar looking. I live in the desert and need moisture retention, and deeper beds since I need to fill mine with good stuff (we have very alkaline soil naturally. So we filled raised beds with better soil and add compost every spring). We’re on season 3 and no signs of rust or wear at all. We have drip irrigation, no leaks, it drains fine if we get heavy rain, and the beds produce well for us.
California? Honestly it depends on what tour wife wants! Once we moved I negotiated for full control of the outside and gave up the inside.
I have a mix of VEGO metal and PNW grown Juniper Wood beds. I like both for different reasons. My Juniper ones I did whatever shape I wanted. The metal is somewhat modular but has some limitations.
Wood is easy to “add” accessories like irrigation, trellises, hardware cloth stapled down for keeping out squirrels and cats etc. for instance I just use a hole saw to fit in my irrigation piping so it’s nice and neat. With metal you have to preplan and come up from below or just have it hang over the top lip.
If there’s specific you need or want that’s really what it comes down to. I consult for residential raised beds.
Good Luck!
https://preview.redd.it/tv7jug5f6lig1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6a84cf3c01fca615c36b6781e2b0d152a8e79f9
My husband built me raised beds where the frames were wood, but the sides are metal. Here’s a picture if it helps. They’ve been going strong for several years now.
There are also other beds that are 100% wood, also doing well. Those he treated with something on the inside to help protect the wood from rot.
https://preview.redd.it/i32yyw1g7lig1.png?width=1432&format=png&auto=webp&s=68cd00b3c776ddcfb9e90be51bd3ff1332485b22